This fascinating bridge crosses the Mississippi River just upstream from Orleans in Jefferson Parish. The center of the bridge contains railroad tracks. The HPL is the most downstream railroad bridge across the Mississippi River.

Automotive traffic flows in four very narrow lanes, two on each side of the railroad tracks. The lanes are only 8 3/4 feet wide, there is no shoulder and there is one spot where the roadway jogs a foot to the south. This irregularity is attributed by locals to a construction error at the spot where the approach lanes met the superstructure lanes.

A major update is underway and expected to be complete in 2012. When done there will be three wider lanes with shoulders in each direction. So if you want to drive over this dinosaur before it is updated you'll have to get a move on. (Will they impose tolls?)

Follow the project at the DOTD site

Budget problems are threatening the progress of this project in June 2007. Everything is more expensive in New Orleans. The Phase III construction (widening) has been released to bids and the bids are coming in high. The best deals are $450 million vs $300 million in the budget. Unless there is a breakthrough we may see changes to this project.

The largest inaccuracies when estimating project costs in the New Orleans region were bridge related. Widening of the Huey P. Long Bridge from four to six lanes was originally estimated at $60 million and is now estimated at $660 million.